1. Field of the Invention
The present general inventive concept generally relates to an image forming apparatus and a method of processing an image thereof, and more particularly, to an image forming apparatus which can designate a color of a document which will be output and a method of processing an image thereof.
2. Description of the Related Art
An image forming apparatus generates, prints, receives, and transmits image data. Examples of an image forming apparatus include a printer, a scanner, a copier, a fax, a multifunction peripheral having combined functions of them, etc.
A general image forming apparatus has a monochrome mode, a color mode, and an auto-mode. The monochrome mode is to output a document as monochrome data, and the color mode is to output color information of a document as it is. Also, the auto-mode is to selectively output a document as one of monochrome data and color data according to a ratio of color pixels occupied in the document.
In order to save maintenance cost of a color toner in a document in which letters and images are mixed, most users output the document using a monochrome mode. This is to output an image, which occupies most of a color toner in a document, as monochrome data so as to reduce a consumed amount of the color toner.
However, if a text which has a relatively small consumption ratio of a color toner in comparison with an image is changed into monochrome data, information recorded on the original text may be missed, like important words that are processed in color.
Also, a method of designating an output color of a desired area of a document like an image area and a letter area according to the preference of a user is required.